Deadly attacks persist in Plateau communities, 1 killed, houses burnt

News Agency Of Nigeria

January 28, 2020 6:00 PM

Gunmen have continued their deadly attacks in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau, killing a man and setting many buildings ablaze.

Unknown masked gunmen (PM News)

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gunmen, described as gunmen have descended on Ruboi and Marish communities in Bokkos Local Government, where at least 16 people were killed late on Sunday.

NAN learnt that the latest onslaught took place early on Monday while residents of the two communities were still in bed.

The Public Relations Officer of the Plateau State Police Command, ASP. Abuh Gabriel, confirmed the development, saying that a man was killed in the latest attack.

Gabriel said, however, that security men had been deployed to the two communities and that calm had been restored.

He said that efforts were being made to unmask the perpetrators of the attack, which has been re-occurring in recent times.

Communities in Bokkos, bordering Mangu and Barkin Ladi Local Government Arears of Plateau have been under unrelenting siege by gunmen, who have been killing locals in some communities in North Central Nigeria.

A former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Mr Titus Alams, who is a native of Rubio, told NAN on Tuesday that the attackers looted property after killing and burning the corpse of a man.

He said that many residential buildings, shops, and places of worship were also set ablaze.

“The man who was killed and his corpse burnt was sick that was why he could not run when others were running away during the attack.

“With yesterday’s attack, the number of people so far killed in a similar attack is now 16 in communities across Bokkos Local Government Area.”

Alams described the attacks as “shocking” and “unbelievable, calling on security agencies to come to the aid of people of the area.

He disclosed that the gunmen came on motorcycles and moved about looting and burning people’s houses, shops and places of worship.

“My own house was partly burnt, while the family house of my former Chief of Staff, Mr Reuben Musa-Mallah, was completely burnt down along with others.”

Alams expressed fear that if prompt action was not taken, other villages, including Mushu, Mile Bagwa, Manja and Marit, close to Mangu and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas might also be attacked.

ALSO READ: Plateau attack: Death toll rises to 15

“These border communities need serious surveillance by security operatives, otherwise the attackers might also attack these areas like they have done to Rubio,” he stated.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Bokkos Local Government Council, Mr Yusuf Machen, who corroborated the account given by Alams, described the attacks as “wicked” and “ungodly.”

Machen pleaded with the federal and State Governments to come to the aid of the affected communities, saying that many residents were now homeless and going without food.

“Most of the affected people are currently at the internally displaced persons’ camp in the Bokkos Council Secretariat,’’ he said.

News Agency Of Nigeria